Steering-knuckle for vehicles.



EATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. 0. EEES. STEERING KNUGKLE EOE VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 16. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses am); Inventor No, 810,372. 'PATENTBDJAN. 16, 1906. J. 0.'HAAS.

STEERING KNUGKL .FOR VEHICLES.4 APPLIOATION FILED 11213.16, i905.

' Witnesses l Jwggwlnvnor.

gaaf 1 ttornegS UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

STEERING-KNUCKLE YFDFR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.Patented Jan. 1e, 190e.

origael appellation nel october 21, 1904serit1ro. 229,481. Divided andai; appuoaitn filed February 16,1905. serai No. 245,936.

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, JACKSON O. HAAs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Potts- Ville, in the county of Schuylkill and State ofPennsylvania, have'invented a new and useful Steering-Knuckle forMotor-Vehicles, of 'which the following is a speciication.- i

This invention relates to steering-knuckles Jfor motor-vehicles, and isa division of the application for Letters Patent for improvements in arunning-gear for motor-vehicles filedby myself on the 21st day ofOctober,

` 1904, Serial No. 229,481.

l equipped with t e invention is turning around curves at great speed,and to enable the wheels to be readily adjusted. as upon vertical orapproximately vertical pivots -in the act of steering the vehicle.

With these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the said inventin;which'is applicable to all kinds and classes of motor-vehicles, lightand heavy, even including the heaviest traction-engines, and which maybe used in connection with all .kinds of wheelssuch as artillery wheels,dished Wheels, tilted wheels, wire wheels, or even the heavysteering-wheels of traction-engines and An10tor-trucks--consistsin theimproved construction and novel' arran ement and combination of parts,which will e hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is avertical sectional view takenthrough one end of an axle and through the hub and steering-knuckle ofone of the front wheels. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 inFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the steering-knuckle land the innerend ofthe hub. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view showing the inner ortion ofthe steeringknuckle .and one cip the steering-arms, the latter beingdetached from the knuckle." Figs. 6 and 7- are detail views illustratingcertain l modications in the construction of the steering-knuckle.-Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views showing a urthermodification of theknuckle.

Corresponding parts in the several iigures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

" Under the preferred construction, which has'been illustrated in Fi s.'1 to 5, inclusive, the axle 1 is providedat t e end thereof with an'eyeor aperture 2 for the reception of a ivotal pin 3, upon which thesteering-knuclc 4 is pivotally mounted. In practice it is intended thatthe axis of the pivot shall be tilted or inclined in a forward directionat its lower end, and this may be'accom lished by tilting the axleorsupporting the atter in a tilted position; but this feature has not beenillustrated in the accom anying drawings,and the same .will' not b'eclaimed in the present -ap lication', which is limited more particular yto the construction of the steering-knuckle and its related parts.

The steering-knuckle 4 includes a spindle or stub-axle 5, and'it, isprovided at its inner end with a recess, the inner end of which issuitably shaped for the reception of the approximatellcylindrical outerextremity 7 of the axle, w c is apertured for the reception of the pin.The recess 6 is made outwardlytapering, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 6,and 9 of the drawings, so as t-o permit the knuckle connected with ttent.

Aball-race 8 is preferably formed in the under side of the axleconcentric with the e axle to the requisite exaxis of the pivot 3 forthe accomodation of.

'to swili reell u on the ivot whereb it is g y P y for rotation,.antifriction-balls l1 being interi posed in the usual manner. d

-The axle is provided with curved lateral extensions 12, which areformed concentric with the axis of thepin or ivot 3 and which serve astracks for ant' riction-rollers 13,'

jouraled in suitable recesses or housings 14, formed in the adjacentsides of the steeringknuckle, which latter is thereby enabled to turnfreely, the vertical strain bein taken u by the saidantifriction-rollers. t is obvious, of course, that the antifrictionmeans may be dispensed with Within the scope of the invention.

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The inner end of the steering-knuckle, which constitutes the casingcontalned inthe recess 6, is provided on the under side thereof withbosses 15, which are recessed, as at 16,

for the rece tion of bolts or connecting members, where y itis.connected with the steer-g ing-arm 17, which is provided withcorresponding apertures 18. Said steering-arm has been shown in the formof a'bell-cra'nk' lever, one arm of which is to be suitably con- .nectedwith a corresponding arm connected -with the steering-knuckle at theopposite end construction of the steering-knuckle, whereby the uplpe'rportion of the casing, or theA ortion over anging the axle, and thepivota pin v3 a're dis ensed with. Under this modiiication theinner endof the knuckle is provided with a depending flange 19, which is engagedby a hook-shaped clip 20, connected with the which t axle, upon whichthe steering-knuckle is thus" retained in position in such a manner asvto be capable of turning freely upon the head 21 of the axle, which 1sof a proximately cylindrical shape and which isfitted inthe inner end ofthe recess, (here designated 22.) It will seen th at under thisconstruction the pivotal "in is dispensed with, the axis upon lieknuckle turns beingthe central line of the head 21.

Under the modification illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 the axle has beenshown as rovided with a hook-shaped flange 23 upon t e under sidethereof, sald iianve engagingI the'inner edge of the lower part of thesteering-knuckle, which in this instance is connected 'detachably withthe 'axle by means of a pivotal pin, (here designated 24.) In Fig. 9 theend ofthe axlehas been shown as curved forward for the following reason:When the direction of the travel of f the v vehicle vis changed from astraight-ahead direction to a curve, the steering-wheel, moving on 'theinner track or smaller arc, must assume a `greater angle to 'the axisthan. the outer wheel, which moves on the larger oll the two con'centricarcs. The axle being pivoted in the center of the hub is therefore bentforward to vallow the wheel moving on the smaller arcto assume a greaterangle.

From the foregoing'description, taken in connection with theA drawingshereto an-v nexed, theo eration and advanta es of this invention wiH bereadily understo'o by'those parts being few and simple there is littlelia ility of breakage or of the parts getting out of order.

L While. I have in the foregoing described simple and referred forms ofthe invention,

or taken apart, as may be required, and the it doesnot ollow that Ilimit myself to the A precise structural details hereiriset forth,inasmuclfas changes, especially with regard to size, shape, and exactmanner of assemblage,

maybe made within the scope of the inven tion and without departing fromthe spirit or sacriiicingthel efficiency of the same.

Havin thusdescribedthe invention, what 1.A An axle having anapproximately cy-'` lindrical head, a steering-knuckle having a recesspivotally engaging said head, the lower Wall o -said recess constitutinga ange con.-

centric with the pivot, and a hook-shapedV member upon the axle engagingsaid'flange.

2f An axle having a forwardlyecurved ter- .minal end and provided withan approxi-l i mately lcylindrical head,in combination with asteering-knuckle having a recess receiving and pivotally engaging saidhead'. 4

3. 'The combination with an axleterminatying inan a proximatelycylindrical head, of a' steering-knuckle pivotally engaging sa'id headand provided with bosses upon its un-A der side, and a bell-crank leverconstituting a steerin -arm and having apertures registering wit saidbosses and suitably connected therewith.

4. Thecombinationwith an axle having lat-l .eral extensions constitutinga curved track l and provided with an approximately cylinf 'drical head,and a steering-knuckle having a Haring recess engaging said headpivotally.

and concentric withthe curved track; the upper and lower walls of saidvrecess constitutlng housin s; and members mounted f'or rotation in saihousings and engaging thecurved In testimony that I claim the foregoinglas my own I have hereto ailixed my signature in thepresence of twowitnesses.

i JACKSON O.

Witnesses:

E. P.- LEUsoHNER,

. JOHN C. y RIEGELJ.

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